Can't Save Video Locally on Your Netgear Camera System?
One of the key features of many Netgear security camera systems, particularly the popular Arlo series, is the ability to save video recordings locally to a USB drive or SD card. This is a fantastic way to keep your footage without relying on a cloud subscription. However, it can be incredibly frustrating when this feature doesn't work, leaving you without any recordings at all.
This troubleshooting guide will help you diagnose and solve the common reasons why your Netgear camera system might be failing to save footage locally.
## Common Symptoms of Local Storage Failure
If you're experiencing issues with local storage, you'll likely encounter one of the following problems:
- Storage Not Detected: The app reports that there is no USB device or SD card connected, even though one is inserted.
- Recording Not Triggering: The camera detects motion, but no new video files are saved to your local storage.
- Corrupted Files: Recordings appear to be saved, but they are unplayable or show as corrupted.
- "Storage Full" Errors: You receive notifications that your storage is full, but when you check, there is plenty of space available.
- Option Unavailable: The feature to record locally is greyed out or cannot be enabled in the app's settings.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Local Storage Issues
Let's work through the potential solutions, from the simplest checks to more advanced steps.
### Step 1: Check Storage Device Compatibility and Health
Not all storage devices are created equal. Your Netgear system has specific requirements for local storage to work reliably.
- Check Compatibility:
- For USB Drives: Ensure you are using a USB 2.0 compatible drive. USB 3.0 drives can sometimes cause issues. The drive must be formatted with a FAT32 file system. Drives larger than 2TB are generally not supported.
- For SD Cards: Use a high-quality, Class 10 SD card from a reputable brand. Cheaper, lower-class cards can be too slow to handle video recording, leading to errors.
- Test the Device: Plug the USB drive or SD card into a computer. Can the computer read and write files to it? If not, the storage device itself is likely faulty and needs to be replaced.
- Reformat the Device: This will erase all data on the drive. Connect the storage device to your computer and perform a full format to FAT32. This can resolve underlying file system errors. After formatting, safely eject the device.
### Step 2: Ensure Correct Setup and Configuration
Once you have a healthy, compatible storage device, you need to ensure it's set up correctly within the Netgear/Arlo app.
- Safely Insert the Device:
- For Base Stations: Eject any existing storage via the app settings first. Then, unplug the base station's power, insert the USB drive, and plug the power back in.
- For Cameras with SD Slots: Power off the camera before inserting or removing the SD card.
- Enable Local Storage Recording:
- Open your camera app and navigate to the Mode settings.
- Select the Base Station or camera you are configuring.
- Choose the mode you want to edit (e.g., Armed).
- Tap the pencil icon to edit the rules.
- Ensure the action "Record Video" is checked. If it is, tap the pencil icon next to it and confirm that your local storage device is the target for the recordings.
- Save the changes.
### Step 3: Reboot Your System
A simple power cycle can often resolve temporary glitches that prevent storage from being recognised.
- Eject Storage: If possible, use the "Safely Eject" option in the app's storage settings.
- Power Down: Unplug the power from your Netgear base station and remove the battery from your camera (if applicable).
- Wait: Leave the devices powered off for at least 60 seconds.
- Power Up: Plug the base station back in first and wait for it to come online. Then, re-insert the battery into your camera.
- Check Again: Once the system is back online, check the app to see if the local storage is now detected and recording properly.
### Step 4: Check for Firmware Updates
Ensure both your cameras and your base station are running the latest firmware. Netgear often releases updates that fix bugs related to hardware compatibility and feature performance. You can check for updates within the device settings section of your app.
By following these steps, you should be able to resolve most issues preventing your Netgear system from saving video recordings locally.